University traces

Author: Xie Yong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1999-01-01
Features: The relationship between professors and students in old universities was different from today—it was a relatively simple bond based on academic interests. In old universities, professors and students valued fun and personality more than personal gain. Of course, this is just a general statement. The harmonious relationship between teachers and students was also related to the free atmosphere in the university, as interests and personalities thrive alongside freedom. If everything requires approval and, and every small issue is treated with suspicion, people will eventually lose hope. Therefore, universities need some clubs, publications, and groups of like-minded individuals who debate for the sake of academia. Old universities still had some vitality in this regard. When we say that each generation of scholars is less impressive than the last, it is not because people are getting dumber, but because that vitality is decreasing. In the early 1940s, at Southwest Associated University, there was a society called the "Eleven Society" (the Chinese characters for "eleven" together form the character "shi," meaning "scholar"). This society was composed of both professors and students, with members studying history, philosophy, sociology, and a few studying natural sciences. Its purpose was for scholars to sit and discuss, each expressing their views. Professors like Wen Yiduo, Zeng Zhaolun, and Pan Guangdan were members, as were students like Wang Yao, Ji Zhenhua, He Bingdi, Ding Zeliang, Wang Zuoliang, and Weng Tongwen. The society was organized by Ding Zeliang and He Bingdi, meeting every two weeks. Each session featured an academic presentation by either a professor or a student. When professors presented, students listened. When students presented, professors attended as well, followed by mutual discussions. It was in such an academic environment that a generation after generation of scholars emerged. A participant recalled, "When I was writing my graduation thesis, my advisor, Mr. Zhang Yinlin, said to me, 'In the grand scheme of knowledge, you young people cannot surpass us now, but in some aspects, you have already completely surpassed us.' This academic atmosphere was truly like sitting in a warm spring breeze, leaving one deeply nostalgic." (Li Shang, "On Southwest Associated University's Elective System and Its Impact," Selected Materials on Yunnan's Cultural and Historical Records, p. 81) Societies like this were not just one or two in old universities but many. Students from the "Eleven Society," such as Wang Yao, Ji Zhenhua, Ding Zeliang, He Bingdi, Wang Zuoliang, and Wu Zhengyi, later became renowned scholars. Many things in old universities seem like fairy tales today. The professors were neither particularly knowledgeable nor morally superior, but they conducted their work with a high level of integrity, making people admire them deeply. Those scholars still alive today often speak with great affection about their former teachers. Take, for example, the way professors guided students in writing theses. Some of the good traditions from old universities still evoke warmth today. In those days, Mr. Fei Xiaotong, while in Kunming, Yunnan, conducted research with a group of students, forming what later became known as the "Kui Ge" research group. At that time, Fei Xiaotong was the leader of the group, and his students, such as Shi Guoheng, Zhang Ziyi, and Hu Qingjun, worked diligently under his guidance, achieving many academic accomplishments, such as Shi Guoheng's China Enters Her Machine Age and Zhang Ziyi's Earthbound China.